An in-depth examination of one ethnic group's place in Canada's cultural mosaic.

Oatmeal and the Catechism records the history and folk culture of the Gaels who emigrated to Canada from the Scottish Hebrides and settled in the Eastern Townships of Quebec. By looking at their history, examining the way of life and the values of the society from which they came, and recording the traditional folk culture that has survived the emigration process, Margaret Bennett traces the influence of Scottish Gaelic settlers on Quebec and Canada.

Relying heavily upon oral tradition, the book embraces the diverse disciplines of folklore, history, language, geography, literature, sociology, agriculture, botany, and home economics. It covers emigration history, community and domestic lifestyles, religious and social structure (including songs, poems, legends, and folktales), customs and beliefs, and material culture. Discussions are supported throughout by testimonies of many Townshippers, quoted verbatim, enabling the "voice" of the Gael to continue to be heard.Oatmeal and the Catechism will be of great interest to scholars and students of Gaelic studies and folklore in addition to Quebecers and others whose Scottish ancestors settled in Quebec and eastern Canada and helped carve a country out of the wilderness.

Margaret Bennett is one of the world's foremost authorities on Scottish folklore. She specializes in traditional song, custom, folk medicine, and emigrant traditions, and currently holds an honorary research fellowship at the University of Glasgow School of Scottish Studies. A prize-winning author, she has published several books and many articles.